The village often lends its shorter name to businesses and amenities in the adjacent town of Borehamwood, and the names of Elstree and Borehamwood are used interchangeably. Elstree is perhaps best known for the Elstree Film Studios, where a number of famous British films were made, and the BBC Elstree Centre, where the TV soap opera EastEnders is made; these are both located in Borehamwood.

The local newspaper is the Borehamwood and Elstree Times. Together with Borehamwood, the village is twinned with Offenburg in Germany and Fontenay-aux-Roses in France.

Elstree and Borehamwood

Elstree and Borehamwood is a civil parish in the Borough of Hertsmere in Hertfordshire, England. Located approximately 12 miles (19km) northwest of central London and adjacent to the Greater London boundary, it is an urbanised parish with suburban residential development, some open land and light industry. Elstree and Borehamwood is a recent renaming of the ancient parish of Elstree, covering the settlements of Elstree and Borehamwood. Formed in 1894 as the Elstree Parish Council, the local council is Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council. One of the most populous civil parishes in England, at the 2011 census it had a population of 37,065.

Music and lyrics

"Elstree" is a tribute to the U.K. film company Elstree Studios. It follows the story of a failed actor who, according to Wave Maker Magazine, is "taking up a more regular position behind the scenes and looking back at his life in regret." The song is 4 minutes and 32 seconds long, and is played at a BPM of 136.Geoff Downes performed an old-sounding grand piano and a minimoog in the song to emulate an oboe.

Release and version history

The single was released on 7" vinyl via Island Records across Europe and Japan. It was not given an America release. In the UK, the single was manufactured and distributed by EMI Records Ltd. The single was also issued in Brazil through Island Records and Ariola, which was the umbrella company in Brazil for Island Records at the time. For the single, the song was edited down by half a minute in comparison to the album version of the song. Despite this, the UK version of the single still dubbed the song "(Full-length Album Version)" on the A-side of the vinyl. The single included the B-side "Johnny on the Monorail (A Very Different Version)" which was written by Downes and Horn. As the title suggested, the song is a different version of the closing album track of The Age of Plastic. The version was originally exclusive to the single before it appeared as a bonus track on the 2000 remastered re-issue of The Age of Plastic album, amongst other re-issues of the album.

Elstree

Oh go Johnny kick me in the head,Aimin' for the floorboard but they pick me up insteadthrough the ringing from the night beforethe engines running gotta pay a callJohnny drove the halftrackcause we could not find the jeepwith me in the morning gotta get some sleepdriving all night out of feargot in the ribs every time I changed gearI'm gonna take a ride, gonna pick up the teamgonna go where we've never beenI'm gonna pick up the team(pickin up, picken up the team)now you know how it's hard to keep the fighting cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanOh go Johnny gonna fight the warshotgun in the morning at the local liquor storeoh go talking bout them diesel fuelsJohnny tell the chaplain go and polish his tombslying on the wasteground with a blanket on his faceindicating that he's left the human racehell went open when the world came ingotta keep your head if you wanna winI'm gonna take a ride, gonna pick up the teamgonna go where we've never beenI'm gonna pick up the team(picking up, pickin up the team)now you know it's hard to keep the fightingclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanclean cleanlost a million in the very first attackclean cleandon't you worry cause you know we'll get them backclean cleanlost a million in the very first attackclean clean

The village often lends its shorter name to businesses and amenities in the adjacent town of Borehamwood, and the names of Elstree and Borehamwood are used interchangeably. Elstree is perhaps best known for the Elstree Film Studios, where a number of famous British films were made, and the BBC Elstree Centre, where the TV soap opera EastEnders is made; these are both located in Borehamwood.

The local newspaper is the Borehamwood and Elstree Times. Together with Borehamwood, the village is twinned with Offenburg in Germany and Fontenay-aux-Roses in France.

It's 'All Change' at Elstree and Borehamwood Museum with the coming of the railways to the town. The latest exhibition tells the story of how the town has changed since the opening of Elstree and Borehamwood railway station 150 years ago ... www.elstree-museum.org.uk or watch our Youtube film....

CBB fans are convinced Ann Widdecombe will be entering the house after the former MP was seen at an Elstree hotel. The 70-year-old's potential inclusion in the house has excited fans, who think she could stir up plenty of drama with her strong opinions. Getty ...Taking to Twitter, fans wrote ... "Spotted Anne Widdecombe ... Getty ... ITV ... ....